There is every chance that could be true, but even so, you'd think he was intellgient enough not to get involved at all. Whether he was giving them the run-around or not.

People don't seem to understand what this case means to racing. Regardless of Fallon. If the BHA/Jockey Club lose this case they will be a laughing stock, jockeys will not be able to be charged with race fixing ever again. The fans will think they are a weak organisation and people will start to wonder whether the sport is safe within their hands.

They have put to much money into this.

I know the Fallon fans will probably be blind to this, but if he wins this case, British racings integrity is down the pan. People are already losing faith with the BHA and this will be the final straw.

I've said it once before and i will say it again. Racing cannot possibly win whatever the outcome. If Fallon is found guilty, we have lost a fantastic jockey (even though a cheat). If Fallon wins the trial, we will have lost faith in our governing body, racing fans will be asking themselves if they can trust them, they will wonder if they can bet without thinking of let off cheaters pulling the same stunts.

I'm being serious when i say this case could break the bone of British racing.

the Ballinger Ridge race was on the news tonight.. Fallon only looks around twice. once at the furlong marker where he looks behind and starts to ease. the problem with this was that Rye was on the rails and it is entirely plausible that Fallon just didnt see Rye. He was still easing down when he looked round again, saw what was happening and started to shake up the horse and lost on the nod.. You dont deliberately lose a race on a headbobber..

regarding a point we discussed earlier about keeping winning distances low to protect their handicap mark. I know that the handicapper nearly always looks beyond the winning distance but jockeys nearly always try to do it and Ive heard plenty of trainer state their unhappiness when a jock wins by too far..

The problem is that he did lose though. He did lose a race he should have won with ease. Combine that with the huge amounts that Rodgers placed on the horse to lose and it doesn't take a genius to realise that something was wrong with the ride. It isn't like Fallon to ease up so far from the line. With Fallon there isn't such a thing as horses travelling on the bridle. He is the McCoy if the flat. Yes, to lose by a headbobber is impossible, but if you watch the race closely, it does appear for a couple of strides that Rye will win by much more than a short head.

I do realise that trainers dislike jockeys winning by too far, but as i have heard handicappers on many ocassions it really makes no difference. In fact i've heard handicappers say they will be more harsh on horses who have won when heavily eased because it can sometimes appear that they could have won by much further than they actually could. Easing a horse down to win by a length can (on the majority of occasions) look more impressive than the vicotry of a horse having to be ridden out by four or five. From what i remember willie muir saying after that race, he didn't seem to care, he was just very unhappy with the ride and thought he (ballanger ridge) should have won easily.

I just hope that Fallon got caught up in an extremely sticky situation re: ballinger ridge. He thought rye would win and told people, the race itself was basically a 2 horse race, so you can why the gang laid him heavily to lose.. Im just trying to think. He cost them so much money. what would have happened had he won this race.. even more.. it was a massive error of judgement and he deserved the huge amount of criticism, but it may of been Fallon getting caught up big time... this is the only ride out of the 17 or so that fallon rode in that is under suspicion at all. He made a huge error of judgement and quite possibly, this race is the reason he is involved in this situation. hence me believing that he is either the stupidest person in the world or the unluckiest..

I was under the impression there was about five or six rides of his that are under suspicion. The ride he was talking about in a text at Goodwood for example?

sorry what i meant to say what that his actually riding was under suspicion.... this is the only one i believe that one can say he did anything wrong..

Getcha.

Off the top of my head, i can't think of anything other than Fallon's ride on a 2yo colt that my father looked after at Newmarket. First time out, a small trainer with Fallon booked. It already looks dodgy and the biggest price you could get was 4/1.

We were all on, we all thought he'd win. He's been working really well with a good horse of Michael Bell's before he made his debut.

He got in front and Fallon seemed to ease down. A filly of Luca Cumani's named Queens Lodge came and nailed him right on the line.

Now, i'm not saying this was on purpose but we were all slightly shocked about the ride he got at the time. A furlong out and there was only one winner from watching the race.... but it wasn't to be.

Fallon was very apologetic to my father when coming back in...... maybe too apologetic for a man who has been known for aggrresive behaviour? a repeated whispered "sorry" followed by a "i'd love to sit on this fella again"

One thing my father didn't tell me until a couple of days after the race was that Kieren said something along the lines of "i don't think this lad will win today" when he first got up on his back. Ofcourse, that could have meant several different things: he didn't think he was fit, he'd been told about another runner etc etc, but it seemed like a very strange thing for a top jock to say to a groom when he first got the leg up on the horse.

I felt your pain that day :mad:

I bet.

I still remember that day like it was yesterday. NSPCC day at the July Course on a baking hot day.

The whole town knew about him because he had been working with outside horses.

Then he went to Lingfield and ran into one too good. By the time he did win he was 4/5 or something stupid

From RP.....

by David Ashforth
.


KIEREN FALLON on Friday confirmed that he will not ride again until the case being heard at the Old Bailey, in which he is defending a charge of conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers, has reached a conclusion.

Fallon explained: “I have decided not to ride again until this is over. There is too much going on - it is not fair on trainers, and I would struggle to concentrate. It just wouldn't work. By the time I finish here each day, and sit with my legal team for an houror more afterwards, the day is over. Then I have to get up early in the morning to be here the following day. I am fit and will keep fit.”
Fallon added: “The season never really got going for me but winning the Arc was nice - Dylan Thomas was the horse for me.”

Fallon's victory at Longchamp was achieved less than 24 hours before the trial opened.

Following agreement between the various parties on the number of witnesses to be called, it is hoped that the trial, originally expected to last four months, may be completed in a shorter time.

I'm still getting caught up but this is from RP on Thursday.....


Prosecution witness admits to ‘misleading' statement

by Paul Eacott
.

THE opening witness called for the prosecution in the race-fixing trial involving Kieren Fallon and five other men at the Old Bailey on Thursday admitted that part of the statement he gave to police was “downright misleading”.

David O'Reilly, Betfair's legal adviser, returned to the witness box for cross-examination in the delayed afternoon session after earlier telling the court that the accounts controlled by Miles Rodgers were responsible for more than 40 per cent of all lay bets on the horses in question on the exchange in 17 out of the 27 suspect races.

O'Reilly had also said that accounts believed to be operated by Rodgers matched more than 60 per cent of all lay bets on four horses in the races in question – including when Rodgers' own horseLegal Set was beaten at Lingfield on December 30, 2002, the first race under suspicion.

He had told Court 12 that the betting activity on the Rodgers-controlled accounts was responsible for dramatic pre-race drifts on a number of occasions, but later had to admit that this had been misleading as the data supplied to the court for eight of the races had included bets placed in running.

In the statement he gave to police, O'Reilly had said Levitator had been a “good” example of a drifter when he finished second under Fallon at Leicester on June 14, 2004, but under questioning on Thursday admitted he eased only from 13-2 to 8-1 on the exchange before the off, with the highest prices matched by the Rodgers-controlled Betfair accounts of 11-1 coming in running.

Peter Kelson QC, representing Rodgers, said to O'Reilly: “You gave assurances in your statement that Levitator was a good example of drifting, but, in fact, that is not a good example. Would you accept it's downright misleading?”

“Yes, I would accept that,” responded O'Reilly.

The court also heard how only 1.83 per cent – £37.02 – of the money matched by the Rodgers accounts on Cd Europe on February 18, 2003 came at a top price of more than 28-1 (29.14), with the remainder coming at much lower prices. O'Reilly had not mentioned the Cd Europe race in his original statement, it was claimed, and it appeared only in his second statement, dated March 10, 2005, at the request of investigating officers from City of London police.
Earlier, O'Reilly had told the court that Rodgers had held an account with Betfair – and was thought to be using 12 other names – in December 2002. The account registered in the name of his then partner Joanne Richardson was in the top one per cent of Betfair users in volume terms.

O'Reilly said the accounts “frequently bet quite heavily on the same horse in the same race”.

He added: “Nine or ten of these accounts were registered in the Sheffield area. Some were accessed from the same computer and four used the same password.”

He said that the accounts were “generally taking the strong position against the one horse – that that horse will lose”.

This, however, was another claim that was refuted by Kelson, who later told the court that when Rodgers laid the Darren Williams-ridden Chispa to win £1,260 when he finished third at Newcastle on March 24, 2003, he also backed Legal Set, the 5-2 favourite who was ridden by Fergal Lynch and finished second, for £1,750, so in fact lost £490 on the race with Betfair.

The court also heard how Rodgers placed six bets on the phone using the account registered to Richardson, and was never challenged as to why somebody who was evidently male was betting on an account registered to a female. O'Reilly added that this “is something we have subsequently changed”.

Rodgers, who also faces charges under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Fallon, Lynch, Williams and two other men, Shaun Lynch and Philip Sherkle, deny all charges against them.

The case continues on Friday.

That is going to help?

uh oh... a few holes are appearing that might get Fallon off.. from the racingpost::

THE head of security for British horseracing on Monday denied making a drunken claim that he was out to get Kieren Fallon if it was the "last thing" he did.
Paul Scotney was giving evidence at the race-fixing trial of Fallon and five other men accused of conspiring to throw 27 races as part of a £2.12 million betting scam.

Mr Scotney, head of security for the British Horseracing Authority, told the Old Bailey that information passed on from Betfair sparked the investigation.

He said that Miles Rodgers, the businessman accused of being at the centre of the conspiracy, had been brought to the attention of racing authorities in early 2003.

The authority, then known as the Jockey Club, had been alerted to unusual betting patterns following a race involving Legal Set the previous December.

Ridden by Darren Williams, one of three jockeys on trial, it lost the race. Rodgers had allegedly won money by betting on the horse to lose.

Mr Scotney described how Rodgers was "warned off" racing in March 2004 after a disciplinary panel ruled that he had laid two of his own horses - not alleged to be among the horses in the current case - to lose.

This was in breach of a ruling in September 2003 forbidding owners to "lay" their own horse.

MrScotney was cross-examined over his claims by Christopher Sallon QC, defending Shaun Lynch, who is in the dock alongside his brother, Fergal Lynch.

Mr Sallon asked Mr Scotney about a complaint made about him by trainer Alan Jarvis over an incident at asocial function in November 2006.

Mr Scotney, a former Metropolitan Police superintendent who took up his post at the Jockey Club in October 2003, said that he did not recall the meeting.

Mr Sallon put it to him: "At that meeting in 2006, which Mr Jarvis attended, you said quite audibly that you will get Kieren Fallon if this is the last thing you do?"
"I would not have said that," Mr Scotney replied.

"You possibly said it while you were drunk?" Mr Sallon asked.

"No, I would not have been drunk," replied Mr Scotney.

It is alleged that the six defendants were involved in a conspiracy with others between December 2002 and September 2004 to defraud Betfair customers and other punters.

Fallon, 42, formerly of Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, but now of Tipperary, Ireland, Fergal Lynch, 29, of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, and Darren Williams, 29, of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, deny the charges.

Shaun Lynch, 37, of Belfast, Rodgers, 38, of Silkstone, South Yorkshire, and Philip Sherkle, 42, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, also plead not guilty.

Rodgers also denies concealing the proceeds of crime. All the defendants are on bail.

The case was adjourned until Tuesday.

Strange.

Having seen Paul Scotney a few times he really doesn't seem like the sort of man to do such a thing.

But there again, having seen Fallon on a number of occasions he doesn't seem like the person to fix races.

Everyone i have spoken to who work within racing in Newmarket are sure he is guilty, but many of whom think he will get off because of who he is. I'm still of the opinion that he is gulity. The text messages and phone calls speak volumes in my opinion.

I seriously can't imagine Scotney saying that. The fact that he denies the claim is pretty big. If he is found to be lieing, he will be out of a job and will struggle to get another job in any industry. I don't believe Scotney would risk his livelyhood by lieing in a court room.

though saying that, and I dont want to say he is lying, but Ive said numerous things with a few (!!!) drinks on me that i couldnt recall at all..

over here, most believe that he is innocent and that they are out to get him.. It could go back to the "one of us" things and the ireland v england malarchy..

As far as i am aware, Scotney isn't much of a drinker. That i just what i believe though. Behind closed doors he could be a heavy drinker, ofcourse.

Coming from a police background, he knows what it means to lie in court and i very much doubt he would. On the other hand, Alan Jarvis doesn't have a very clean background.

It's the opposite here. :(

That said,

Free Kieren

RP...

Head of security accused of being out to get Fallon

by Paul Eacott


RACING'S security chief Paul Scotney was on Monday accused at the Old Bailey of making a drunken claim that he was out to get Kieren Fallon.

The BHA head of security was said to have made the pledge at a public function last November, which resulted in a complaint to police. Hedenied the claim in court.

Scotney, who spent 27 years as a police officer before joining the Jockey Club in November 2003, became the latest prosecution witness to receive a rough ride during cross-examination in the race-fixing trial in an explosivesession in Court 12 on Monday.

The man charged with “protecting the integrity of British racing” was forced into an embarrassing cul-de-sac after repeatedly saying he could not recall having conversations with either investigating officers or high-profile witnesses, including Australian steward Ray Murrihy, and he also admitted that evidence central to the case against Fallon and five others had been destroyed.

Fallon, weighing-room colleagues Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams, professional gambler Miles Rodgers and two other men, Shaun Lynch and Philip Sherkle, all face charges of conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers.

Rodgers is also charged with an offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act. All six deny the charges.

Christopher Sallon QC, representing Shaun Lynch, said that police received a complaint in November last year from Buckinghamshire trainer Alan Jarvis about a remark made by an allegedly drunk Scotney that he was out to “get Fallon”.

Sallon put it to Scotney that, as the individual charged with keeping racing “pure”, it was important that he was seen to be independent.

Sallon told the court that Jarvis claimed Scotney had said that night that he “would get Kieren Fallon” if it was the last thing he could do.

“I would not have said that, and I would not have been drunk at a function like that,” Scotney said.

The court heard that the following afternoon, November 22, Detective Inspector Mark Manning, one of the officers at City of London police involved in the investigation into the 27 races, made a telephone call to Scotney informing him a complaint had been made.

Scotney was also questioned at length about his relationship with Manning, who last month was interviewed for a position in the BHA's security department.
Although Scotney was insistent that neither Manning's retirement from the force nor any vacant situations in the security department were discussed until March this year, Peter Kelson QC, representing Rodgers, put it to Scotney that talk of Manning joining the BHA after his retirement from the police force had in fact taken place much earlier.

Scotney said that he “only specifically recalls it being discussed in March”.

However, Kelson suggested to Scotney that in a meetingbetween Rodgers and his solicitor on June 6 last year, his client had said that he understood that Manning had met with, and been offered a job by, the BHA's precursor, the Horseracing Regulatory Authority.

“I am sorry sir, I really don't know where that came from,” Scotney responded.

It was also put to Scotney that the BHA had been “dangling a carrot” of funding towards the investigation to ensure that the City of London police took it on as it “was costing quite a lot of taxpayers' money”, and that City of London police were offered £250,000.

Scotney responded: “They were keen to take this on. There was a lot of thought as to where we would go. I do not recall us going to any other force.”

George Carter-Stephenson QC, representing Fergal Lynch, was also keen to establish why someone with former detective chief superintendent Scotney's extensive experience in criminal investigation and intelligence work did not take steps to preserve the material relating to stewards' inquiries involving Cd Europe and Ballinger Ridge – the only two races of the 27 under investigation that sparked inquiries on the day.

Only the summary of the stewards' inquiry published in the Racing Calendar remains and Scotney said: “I hadno reason to know that evidence would be destroyed.”

Admitting that there had been an “element of presumption” and that “in hindsight it was not good”, Scotney added that he had no reason to believe that it was routine for records to be destroyed twoyears after stewards' inquiries had taken place.

He added: “We responded to requests from the police. Maybe we weren't asked for those at the time. I don't remember a conversation about the Cd Europe race – I do the others.”

Carter-Stephenson alsotried to establish why Scotney appeared to be unable to produce any notes from meetings he had with investigating officers, or with Murrihy in meetings that took place in both Australia and the UK.

Scotney informed him that his briefcase was stolen during a burglary at the Jockey Club headquarters on Shaftesbury Avenue in 2005 and that, although he did not know for sure, it was “possible” there were notes relating to those meetings among the belongings taken.

The trial continues.

From Racing Post........
Undercover officer in cat-and- mouse chase with Rodgers, court told


by Paul Eacott



AN undercover police officer who tailed professional gambler Miles Rodgers for more than 140 miles as part of a surveillance operation on Tuesday told the Old Bailey how he pretended to be a drink driver after he feared his cover had been blown.

Detective Constable Robert Stirling, of Cityof London police, told the jury at the race-fixing trial involving six-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon how he followed a silver Mercedes driven by Rodgers from South Yorkshire to Cambridgeshire on May 26, 2004 before being involved in a cat-and- mousechase with the vehicle through the dark lanes of the Suffolk countryside in the early hours of the following morning.

The court heard how Stirling's unmarked police car encountered the Mercedes, which contained Rodgers and three other men, near the village of Cowlinge – where Fallon lived at the time – shortly after 1.00am.

The car, which is alleged to have been driven Rodgers, and contained two of the other men facing charges on conspiracy to defraud, Shaun Lynch and Philip Sherkle, and a man the prosecution claim is Daniel Kinahan, was said to have turned off the Newmarket Road on to a country track when being pursued by Stirling, allowing Stirling to pass him.

Moments later, Stirling was aware the Mercedes was behind him, and when he himself left the main road and turned off his engine and lights, the Mercedes “came right up behind” him and sat for about “60 seconds” with its headlights on full beam.

Stirling told the court how he then headed back to Newmarket, where he informed a colleague of the incident. As he stood at the kerbside, he said the Mercedes drove alongside. “I could see Miles Rodgers,” Stirling said, “he was driving the car.”

The jury also heard how the silver Mercedes effectively blocked in Stirling's car as it pulled upsides him, with the officer confirming the occupants were “eyeballing” him. And when Stirling found the Mercedes was still behind him shortly after 1.30am as he drove along Newmarket High Street, he decided to take evasive action.

“I saw a marked traffic vehicle at a service area, so I purposefully accelerated over a mini roundabout on the offside and went at speed up the hill towards the racetrack.”

Stirling said he was attempting to draw attention to himself so as to appear as if he was not a police officer, adding that when he was pulled over he asked the uniformed officers to carry out a breath test and check over his car. As this was occurring, he told the court he saw the silver Mercedes drive past. Asked who was at the wheel, he responded: “It was the same man. . . it was Miles Rodgers.”

The jury also saw surveillance footage from the Westgate Hotel in Harrogate on the afternoon of the 26th, as well as the Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket later that evening, from where Shaun Lynch made numerous phone calls and sent text messages to Fallon prior to the incident involving DC Stirling.

Earlier, doubts had been raised over some of the police surveillance at Leicester racecourse on May 18 2004 .

Pc Mark Lowe, told the jury that he saw two white men leave the racecourse and get into Rodgers' Mercedes. One was about 5ft 6ins while the other was 6ft.

Lowe claimed co-defendant Shaun Lynch got into the car, with Rodgers at the wheel, and was followed several minutes later by two other unnamed men. They all drove to Leicester airport.

However, Christopher Sallon QC, for Shaun Lynch, claimed the officer was mistaken, and that he had actually seen two short men, Seb Sanders and Darryll Holland, who are both about 5ft 3ins.

Sallon also suggested the two riders were joined by Fallon and, in total, there were five men in the car, rather than four, as recorded by the police. He said: “I'm going to suggest that you are just wrong about it and you have missed a crucial piece of observation, which was that Kieren Fallon was one of those who got into the car and all of the men, save for the driver, got into the car at the same time.”

Lowe replied: “What I saw is in my statement.”

John Kelsey-Fry QC, representing Fallon, also challenged the surveillance evidence on the same night. According to the police log, when Shaun Lynch called Rodgers on his mobile phone at 8.49pm that night he was already in the Mercedes with Rodgers.

Kelsey-Fry argued that it was a “matter of common sense” that Shaun Lynch got into the car after 8.49pm, otherwise Rodgers would have been sitting next to him when Lynch called.

Rodgers, Sherkle and Shaun Lynch, Fallon and his weighing room colleagues Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams, all deny charges of conspiring to defraud Betfair customers.

Rodgers also denies concealing the proceeds of crime.

The trial continues.


****************

So Rodgers and Co were close to Fallon's house at about 1am. If Fallon wasn't involved with them or there was nothing 'fishy' going on, why would they be seemingly going to see him at that time.

Then start following the policeman who was orginally following them if they weren't up to something?

Fallon is involved, i think there is little doubting that, but is there enough evidence to show that.

Jury shown surveillance pictures of accused men



by Shenai Raif
.



THE first undercover pictures of the men accused of a £2 million race-fixing scam involving Kieren Fallon were released on Wednesday.

The surveillance pictures show alleged syndicate boss Miles Rodgers meeting an Irish businessman who had flown in from Spain and then travelling to Newmarket, where Fallon lived.

The images were shown to the jury at the Old Bailey where six-times champion jockey Fallon, Rodgers and four other men deny conspiring to fix races to make horses lose so they could win on bets.

The prosecution has alleged that Fallon angered a crooked betting syndicate run by Rodgers after he won the Lockinge Stakes on Russian Rhythm on May 15, 2004, instead of losing.

Jonathan Caplan, QC, said that following a concerted effort to confront Fallon, Dublin-based Daniel Kinahan, flew into Leeds Bradford airport on May 26 and was met by Rodgers.

Mr Kinahan, who the court has been told was not accused of involvement in the conspiracy, was driven to the West Park Hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, by Rodgers and joined by Shaun Lynch and Philip Sherkle.

Later, Shaun Lynch and Rodgers met at a nearby hotel, The Majestic, where Lynch is alleged to have texted Fallon.

The court was told they were joined by Lynch's brother, jockey Fergal Lynch, and they all left together.

Later that night, Rodgers and Shaun Lynch arrived at the Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket, Suffolk, and checked into rooms booked for them under false names.

They were then joined by Sherkle and Mr Kinahan.

The prosecution alleges they then went on a late night drive towards Fallon's Suffolk home before spotting an unmarked police car following them.

Darryll Holland became the first jockey to give evidence in the case on Wednesday.

He wascalled to tell the court about an incident at Leicester on May 18.

He said he was due to give lift to Newmarket to Fallon and fellow jockey Seb Sanders in his private plane after racing at Leicester racecourse.

The taxi booked to take them to the local airport failed to turn up and as Mr Holland looked for it, Fallon told him they could get a lift in another car.

But during the 10 minute ride there was no conversation, Mr Holland told the jury.

Mr Holland said: "Normally when you get in the car, you are introduced. I think it was a bit strange but nobody spoke to me and I did not speak to them." When they left the car after arriving at the airport, Mr Holland said he looked back and saw Fallon speaking to the two men.

"It was a matter of seconds," he said. "I said to him 'come on mate, we have got to get back'."

Mr Holland was asked if he thought Fallon knew the men.

He provoked laughter in court when he replied: "I am not 100 per cent sure if he knew them but you are taught at an early age not to get into cars with strangers - so I assume he knew them."

The prosecution say the two men in the Mercedes were Rodgers and Shaun Lynch and that they were attempting to speak to Fallon following his win on Russian Rhythm.

It is alleged that the six defendants were involved in a conspiracy with others between December 2002 and September 2004 to defraud online betting exchange Betfair customers and other punters by plotting to fix 27 races.

Fallon, 42, formerly of Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, but now of Tipperary, Ireland, Fergal Lynch, 29, of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, and jockey Darren Williams, 29, of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, deny the charges.

Shaun Lynch, 38, of Belfast, Rodgers, 38, of Silkstone, South Yorkshire, and Sherkle, 42, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, also plead not guilty.

Rodgers also denies concealing the proceeds of crime. All the defendants are on bail.

The trial was adjourned to Thursday.

**************

Not sure about anyone else, but that sure doesn't sound good for Fallon what Darryll Holland said in court today.

A fellow jockeys word will count for a lot in this case, i imagine.

Don't mean to sound horrible........ but you are a week behind times. That article was published seven days ago :p

Yeah but i hadn't seen the pics. :D

What are you like? :D

I'm going to propose a ban on all Fallon pics on this forum! :D

Just to say that Fallon's estranged wife, Julie was found guilty of assult in court today.

She punched and kicked another woman while in a pub.

Stupid is as stupid does.

The link wouldn't work, but i'm guessing it was about the texts that Fallon sent and recieved on mobile phones, which he shouldn't have even had.

Jockeys are now meant to register their phones with the jockey club. There were a number of phones found that belonged to Fallon that he didn't register.

He has admitted to texting in the weighing room, which is against the rules.

I'm starting to think that he is just a very stupid, but talented man.

It looks certain that some sort of punishment will be handed out, but what sort of punishment that will be is anybody's guess.

Fallon maintains the fact that he doesn't know Rodgers, even though other jockeys have said that they have seen Fallon having in depth conversations with him.

"Sometimes there IS God."

~ Truman Capote

Don't count your chickens.

It's now been revealed that Fallon actually has a drugs ban shadowing him (again).

Apparently Fallon failed a drugs test at Deauville sometime in August and they are now awaiting the B sample (which takes a long time in France for some reason).

If the B sample comes back positive, Fallon could expect at least an 18 month ban.

Both Fallon and Coolmore are supposedly well aware of this. A few people have noticed that Coolmore haven't actually been as supposrtive in some of their statements yesterday as they could have been.

I'm not saying the B sample will come back positive, but the reports are saying that he definitely failed the first test when riding in France earlier this year.

Well, the story has now been confirmed.

From RP........

Failed drug test means new controversy for Fallon


by Nick Robson



KIEREN FALLON became embroiled in fresh controversy overa failed drugs test - less than 24 hours after his race-fixing trial collapsed at the Old Bailey.

The 42-year-old tested positive for a banned substance after riding Myboycharlie in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville on August 19.

The six-time champion rider now faces an anxious wait for the results of the B sample from laboratories before his fate is confirmed.

Fallon's solicitor Christopher Stewart-Moore said: "I can confirm that the story is true but it is a matter we are dealing with together with (French racing authority) France Galop and it is something we are not able to comment on.

"I am not in receipt of the actual B-sample results.

"The positive test came after he rode Myboycharlie in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 19."

Fallon has previously served a six-month suspension imposed by France Galop for testing positive for a metabolite of a prohibited substance in June 2006. He was suspended from December 7.

As the Irish Turf Club, under which he is licensed, have an agreement with other racing jurisdictions to reciprocate bans of this nature, he was also unable to ride in Ireland.

In a similar incident, jump jockey Dean Gallagher was banned for 18 months when he failed a second drugs test in 2002.

Coolmore have stood by their man through the arduous court case at the Old Bailey but the news will come as an added blow to Fallon's employers.

"We are aware that the B sample has not yet confirmed the test," said a spokesman.

Paul Struthers, spokesman for the British Horseracing Authority, added: "It's difficult for us to comment on it as it has occurred under the jurisdiction of another country."


* * * *

If this B sample does turn out to be positive, Fallon is probably one of the most stupid men in the sport. He would have known he had the other court case hanging over him. He would have known he would have been found out, if in fact he did take a banned substance, as he had been caught before (in France!)

Yes, he was probably under stress, but that doesn't give a professional of his stature any excuse.

I hope for his sake the B sample comes out negative, because he will have the book thrown at him if it comes back positive.

If i were John Magnier or any of the other trainers who had stood by him over the last few months, i'd be very unhappy about this.

I like Fallon, he is a class jockey, but i am rapidly admiration for him.

He's an idiot for his actions in france. once is forgivable but (probably) the same offence twice is just stupid..

They'll make a good film of his life some day..

a few tidnits from today. The daily mail reports that Coolmore are about to sack Fallon while the Examiner reports that there was the presence of pure cocaine in Fallons urine sample which is impossible and there are suggestions that his sample was tampered..

Other reports today have suggested that both Aidan and The Coolmore team are going to stand by him and they knew he had an addiction when they took him on :confused:

i think Aidan O'Brien is probably the nicest man on earth. maybe even nicer than me. his words about Fallon just sounded very sincere. but yeah, it will be very interesting to see what happens.. he might just get a year ban..

I cannot imagine Aidan losing his temper with anyone, not even his worst enemy (if he has one). I'm not always sure if he says what he is thinking though. I'm damn sure he didn't want to run Dylan in America OR Hong Kong, but he never said anything against the owners.

There is never an excuse with Aidan, which is why i like him. The way he says things. He manages to hide the truth without telling a lie.

I'm not sure what will happen with Fallon. If I'm honest, I'm beginning to lose all trust in him. Every person deserves a chance, but he's had more than his fair share of those in the past ten years. There will undoubtably be an excuse for the failed drugs test, but I'm just not sure if I can believe a word he says any more.

He said he had no idea who Miles Rodgers was before the court case, and yet it transpired that he knew him and his associates well. He first denied using mobiles phones in restricted areas of racecourses, but then later admited doing so.

After that first drugs ban he vowed to get himself help and to never do anything so stupid again, yet here we are again.

He's a fantastic jockey, a millionaire many times over. Why oh why does he get himself mixed up in all of this. As you said many months ago, Brock, "he is either the most unlucky or most stupid man in this sport"..... I'm beginning to think it is the later.

It's a bit like George Best all over again.

If Coolmore want to stand by him they should tell him to move to the US-see the ban out there, ride work and then when the ban is spent ride for Tabor/Smith. Saratoga is probably the bext option. He could go there when the Oklahoma track opens in April. There would be many people there who would be rooting for him to make it back to the top-unlike here where they either will use him and then spit him out or just sit there until fouls up again.



And he'll get the support of organizations like the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America who will act as a support team-i'm afraid something it looks like he's sadly lacked here. He needs a mentor like Pat Day or Jerry Bailey.

He'll be able to go to program meetings completely unknown-even in big racing towns-unlike here...

I don't think staying in Europe is an option.

one of fallons "fixed" races

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CjFbTRkCC_o

Coolmore might not stand by Fallon afterall

From RP......

Coolmore unable to provide assurances over Fallon's future with O'Brien


by Rodney Masters


THE Coolmore operation fell short of giving a future commitment to Kieren Fallon on Monday night in a statement issued as its former retained stable jockey awaited the outcome of counter analysis of the B sample after his positive test for cocaine at Deauville in the summer.

While sympathising with Fallon's ordeal in the Old Bailey race-fixing trial, at which he was acquitted of all charges last week, the statement sanctioned by Coolmore boss John Magnier made a brief reference to the alleged drugs episode, noting that the issue was “a personal one for Kieren”.

The full statement to the Racing Post on Monday night read: “This has been an absolutely terrible time for Kieren.

“He has been subjected to a trial, which could have cost him his liberty; a trial which he clearly should never have been subjected to.

“He lost his right to earn a living in Britain for more than 18 months, and now finds himself threatened with a suspension relating to an incident at Deauville in August.

“The issue with France Galop is a personal one for Kieren and therefore inappropriate for us to comment on.”

Earlier, when Coolmore spokesman Richard Henry was asked if Fallon faced the sack, he replied that as the former champion did not have a retainer for this year, the question was “irrelevant”.

Should the B sample return positive, Fallon faces the prospect of a further 18 months on the sidelines for the offence, and by the time he is free to reapply for a licence he would be 44.

Asked whether Coolmore would use Fallon again at the end of that period of suspension, Henry said: “Why don't you ask me again then?
“Apart from speculation in the media, who says it will be 18 months?”

Varying reports were circulating on Monday regarding the B sample, some suggesting it had returned a positive test.

The findings of the A sample may already have worked to cool relations between the Coolmore team and Fallon, with Henry emphasising that nobody associated with Coolmore “would condone the use of cocaine”.

Henry resolutely quashed speculation that Johnny Murtagh was about to be offered the job as stable jockey.

At the same time, he emphasised that for the foreseeable future the best available jockeys would be used on a day-to-day basis at the star-studded stable, and that selection procedure would be governed by the judgement of trainer Aidan O'Brien.

“There is no truth whatsoever in speculation that Johnny Murtagh is about to be appointed as retained jockey,” said Henry. “I can assure you that no appointment of a stable jockey is about to be made.”

He added: “The plan is to use the best riders available, and the trainer will decide which jockey is best suited to a particular horse.

“That's the way we have operated in recent times, and it is a systemthat has worked well for us.

“Sometimes we have runners in three or four countries on the same day, and using the best available jockey has been the policy. We will continue operating along similar lines in the foreseeable future. Who knows what willhappen in the longer term?”

Poor Kieren.